Cross display structure



' Sept. 19, 1944. BRENNAN 2,358,558

CROSS DISPLAY STRUCTURE Filed June 2, 194.2 2 Sheets-Sheet l I EELS-4;

Raymond E Brennan INVENTOR ATTORNEY Sept. 19, 1944. 'R. F. BRENNAN 2,358,558

CROSS DISPL AY STRUCTURE Filed June 2, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 kaymond 12 Brennan E5 5 E15 .E|.' INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 19, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE s 2,358,558

onoss DISPLA STRUCTURE I Raymond F. Brennan, Attleboro, Mass. 7 Y Application June 2, 194.2, Serial No. 445,477

3 Claims. This invention relates to a composite cross of the type employed as a sick call crucifix which comprises separate cross members adapted to be secured together in face contacting relation or arranged with one cross member mounted in display position upon the other. 7

Devices of this character heretofore employed comprise top and bottom cross members secured together in face engaging relation by means of a snap'fastener and" having means, such as a beading or raised edge upon the bottom cross member surrounding the top cross, or one or more pins connecting the crosses, for holding them against movement center. 7

One object of the present invention is to simplify such a construction by eliminating the snap fastener and providing novel means for holding the crosses positioned posed relation, while at the same tim utilizing certain of the cross holding means for mounting the top cross in display position upon the bottom cross and in symmetrical relation with the arms of the bottom cross. 7 v

Another object of the invention is the provision in a device of this character of means carried by the respective cross members which are adapted for mutual interengagement by relative sliding movement of the cross members, whereby the crosses are held connected in face engaging relation while readily separable by limited sliding movement of the crosses to permit their separation and arrangement in display position with the top cross member placed upright on, the bottom cross member and held in position about the snap fastener asa thereon through utilization of parts of the in teren'gaging means previously described as employed for holding the cross members together in their face engaging superposed relation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention I relate to various improved details of construction andnovel arrangements of the parts as will be more fully set forth tion to follow.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the structure, showing the cross members in their face engaging superposed relation,

Fig. 2is a. perspective view of the cross structure, showing the top member mounted in upright display position upon the bottom cross member,

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view, as taken through the cross members as indicated by the line 33 on Fig.

in face engaging superin the detailed descrip provided with a front face in the front face 5'0f the .a receptacle for the candles 'line 4-4'on Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of aportion of the rear face of the topcross member,

Fig. dis a detail *ew of a slightly modified form 'of fastening means shown as positioned on the front face of the bottom member, adjacent to the base thereof, T Fig. 7 is a top perspective view of the bottomcross member, shown as provided with a somewhat modified form of holding means,

Fig. 8' is a rear perspective view of thtop cross v member shown as provided with holding means adapted to be employed in connection With' the holding meansof the bottom cross member as" shown in Fig. Land, i Fig. 9 is a side'elevational view of'the top' cross in upright position on the bottom cross, with one arm of the holder member broken away. In the form of the invention as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, the top and bottom crossmembers are designated by reference characters I"- and 2 respectively. The top'cross member is 3 and a'rear faced, cross member has 6 respectively. The front face of the top cross member may be provided with any desired form of ornamentation appropriate for the purpose and may support such religious figures or devices as may bedee and similarly, the bottom sirably employed for display purposes. 'I'hecross members may be correspondingly proportioned, and the top member is preferably somewhat smaller in face area than the bottom member so that a portion of the bottom member will extend outwardly from' the edge of the top member throughout its periphery when the parts are in their superposed relation to form a marginal edge portion 8. The engaging contact faces 4 and 5 of the cross members'a're preferably shaped to ..engage with each other throughout substantial 4'5 portions of their respective areas when they are arranged in face contacting relation. 7,

The. arms 9 and 10 of the bottom cross 'member may be provided with recessed holders l I,

5. substantially equally spaced from the ends there-' of, for receiving candles l2 in the display position of the crosses, and a recess Mmay be formed lower upright portion of the base cross 2 which is adapted to serveas and other acces- 50 1.

rowed portion 21 ofthe'recess.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, the bottom cross member 2 is provided upon the front face thereof with holding members l6 and I1 spaced from each other longitudinally of the upright portion of the cross a distance somewhat less than the length of the upright portion of the top cross member I. The holding members 16 and I! may be formed of metal, wood or other appropriate material, such as a suitable plastic composition, and may be T- shaped, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, each comprising a shank l8 and a head l9 carried by the shank. The end of the shank portion H! of each holding member may be driven into an opening formed in the front face 5 of the base cross or otherwise secured thereto. 7

A recess 20 is formed in the base of the top cross member I, which is shaped to provide oppositely positioned shoulders 2| separatedfifrom eachpther by a relatively narrow opening 22, and hasa rearward wall 24, whereby the lower end of the topcross I may be slidably engaged with the holding member 16 so that the head l-S of the holdingmember will fit within the'widened portion of the recess 20 and engage substantially closely with the rear wall 24 and shoulders 2|, while the shank portion!!! lies within the narrow opening :22, substantially as shown in Fig. 3 of the" drawings. The lower end of the top cross member 1 may also be slidably engaged with one of the holding members [6 and I1 while located in upright position relative to'the top face 5 of the bottom cross member so thatthe head l9 oftheholding-member willproject upwardly within the widened portion of the recess 20 and the 'side'faces 23 of the head 19 may then engage .the rearward wall 24 'of the recess and the inner faces of the shoulders 2| to hold the cross I in upright position upon the base cross 2, substantially as shown in'Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings. v

A second recess 25 is formed in the rearward face 4 of the top cross member, which, as shown, comprises anenlarged opening 26, and-a narrowed recess 21 extending therefrom forming a rearward wall 28 of the widened portion of the recess and oppositely positioned-shoulders 29 10- sides of the nar- The recess 25 isshaped and positioned to receive the holding member I! as the -member I6 is passed into the recess so that substantially simultaneous engagement of the cooperating holding means carried by the cross members may occur. In the engagement of the member 11 with the recess 25, the head I9 is-passed through the enlarged opening 26, and, as the crosses are displaced slidably with'relation'to each other, the head I9 is moved within the recess so that the head portion engages the recess wall 28 and shoulders 29, while the shank portion is located within the narrowedportion 21 of tween the edges of the opposed shoulders 29 as the parts are moved to engage fully.

From the above it willbe seen that by engaging the holding member IS with the shoulders 2| substantiallysimultaneously with the engagement of'the holding member H with the shoulders 29,-relative sliding movement of the cross members will move the cooperating holding means into full engagement whereby the cross members are releasably held in face contacting or Qface engaging relation,-with the top cross member arranged in positiontooverlie a part of the front face 5 of the bottom cross member.

cated outwardly of opposite the recess and be- It is to be understood that the head portion IQ of the holding members l6 and I! may be so proportioned as to engage and fit closely against the rearward wall 24 and shoulders 2| of the recess 20 or the rearward wall 28 and shoulders 29 of the recess 25 in such a manner that these parts may engage frictionally to hold the cross members in position securely when in face contacting relation, or the head portion l9 of the holding members l6 and I1 may be provided with a resilient face or faces to engage yieldingly the recess wall or opposed shoulders or both for providing resilient engagement between the parts of the holding means in the interfitted relation of the crosses.

From the above it will be seen that the top cross member I may be secured to the bottom cross member 2' in face contacting relation, or the top cross member may bedetached from its face contacting relation with the bottom cross member and mounted in upright 'displayposition thereon, through vertical engagement with either of the holding'members l5 and H.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings there is shown a modified form of holding member 30 which is particularly adapted-to be substituted for the holding member l6 previously described. The holding member 30 comprises a shank portion 3| and a head 32, the principal contact faces 33 l of which'are located substantially parallel with the front face 5 of the bottom cross, and which is provided with a rounded end'34 to center the same with respect to the recess 20 formed in the base of the top cross member. This is to facilitate interengagement of the holding member 30 with the recess 20 formed in the top cross member I as the cooperating holding means carried by the cross members are arranged. in position for interengagement with each other. This form of holding member is not specifically adapted for holding the top cross in upright position on the bottom cross, and when it is employed as a substitute for the holding member IS, the top cross member may be mounted upon the holding member IT in its upright display position.

described, except that in this form In the form of the invention shown in Figs. '7 to 9 of the drawings, the top and bottom cross members 35 and 36 are ingeneral of similar form and construction to those previously shown and of the invention a single holding member 31 is carried by the bottom cross member having a shank portion 38 and head 39, which head portion has an end recess 40 formed therein to provide opposed 5 shoulders 4| for'a purpose whichwill be more larly shaped and fully described.

V ,The top cross member 35 has a recess 25 formed therein which may be similar in all respects to that previously described having simi-e designated associated parts and related elements for interengaging with the holding member 31 carried by. the bottom cross member 36, including an enlarged opening 26, a rearward wall 28 and narrowed recess 21 located between the free edges of the shoulders 29. The

7 ing member 43 cross.

with the rearward wall and opposed shoulders top cross member 35 is also provided with a holdcarried by the under face 4 thereof which may be located adjacent to the lower end portion of the upright part of the The holding member 43, as shown, comprises ashank portion 44 having a part embedded in or secured to the cross 35 and an enlarged head 45 carried by the shank, which is of a thickness adapted for interfitting engagement tion of the upright ing interengaging surfaces to of a recess formed in the bottom cross member 36 and located adjacent to the lower end porpart thereof.

The bottom cross member 36 is provided with a recess 41 shown as located adjacent to the lower end of the upright portion of the cross, and which for convenience may be formed to open into the recess [4 previously described in connection with the bottom cross member 2. The recess 41 is shown as extending downwardly from the recess I4 and having a rowed opening 49 formed in the front face of the cross 36 to provide opposed shoulders 50, each of which is spaced from the rear wall 48.

In the face contacting relation of these cross members, the holding member 43 carried by the top cross 35 is fitted within the open end of the recess 41 and the holding member 31 into the enlarged opening 26 of the recess 25 formed in the top cross member, and, upon relative sliding movement of the cross members, the holding member 43 is moved into fully engaged position in the recess 41 simultaneously with the movement of the holding member 31 carried by the bottom cross member into fully engaged position in the recess 25. I

As previously described in connection with the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the head 39 of the holding member 31 and the head 45 of the holding member 43 are similarly proportioned to fit with frictional engagement between the rear wall 28 and shoulders 29 carried by the top .cross member and the rear wall 48 and shoulders 50 of the recess 41 formed in the bottom cross member, so that the crosses may be held frictionally against relative movement tending to separate them accidentally. As previously described, resilient means may be employed in connection with the cooperating interfitting parts to secure resilient instead of frictional holding of the elements against displacement if desired.

In mounting the top cross member 35 in upright" display position upon the bottom cross member 36 the shank 44 of the holding member 43 is passed into the end recess 40 formed in the holding member 31, so that the shank 44 fits between the shoulders 4|, and the inner face of the head portion 39 and outer face of the top cross member 35 bear against opposite sides of the holding member 31 with the bas of the cross member 35 resting upon the upper face of the bottom cross member 36.

It will be understood that in either of the forms of the invention shown herein, the cooperating surfaces of the holding means carried by the respective crosses engage with each other firmly when moved into fully engaged relation to hold the crosses against accidental separation until they are moved into disengaging position with respect to each other. The opposite side faces of the holding member employed for maintaining the top cross member in upright display position on the bottom cross are also adapted to engage substantially closely with their cooperatmaintain the top cross member in substantially fixed upright position on the bottom cross.

What I claim is:

rear wall 48 and a narof the other said cross member through sliding movement of said cross members relative to each other while in face contacting relation to effect interfitting'engagement of the cooperating hold- Y ing means and retain said cross members in faceto-face contacting relation, one or the said holding means carried by one cross member being engageable vertically with one of the said holding means carried by the other cross member for supporting the first member in upright display position upon the other said member.

2. A composite cross display structure comprising having face throughout portions engageable with each other substantial portions of their areasin the faee-to-face engaging relation of said members, and means for interconnecting said members in face-to-face relation comprising spaced cooperating holding means carried by each said member, each engageable with cooperating holding means carried by the other said member through relative sliding movement of the members while in face-to-face relation, the cooperating holding means carried by said members comprising an element carried by one of said members fitting slidably within cooperating holding means carried by the other said member to bring cooperating surfaces of said holding means into frictional engagement with each other and maintain said cross member in substantially fixed upright display position upon the said cross supporting member.

ber, each engageable with cooperating holding means carried by the other said cross member through relative sliding movement of the members while in face-to-face relation, the cooperating holding means carried by said members comhaving an enlarged head por- RAYMOND F. BRENNAN.

a cross member and cross supporting member 

